MBA (T840) Final Exam Prep Flashcards
Planning
Juran’s breakthrough sequence
- breakthrough in attitudes - management climate
- identify vital projects - by Pareto analysis
- Organise knowledge breakthrough - steering and diagnostic groups
- conduct analysis - by diagnostic group
- overcome resistance to change - participation is key
- institute change - training essential
- institute control - formal follow-up
Process Word (Contrast)
Set in opposition in order to bring out the differences - you may also note that there are similarities.
Perri
Project definition
Process Word (Summarise)
give a clear, short description, explanation or account, presenting the chief factors and omitting minor details and examples - see also outline.
Handling Operational Improvement
- Operational Improvement enhances the performance of a system thereby tightening its operational limits.
The Deming-Shewart approach has four steps.
1 Plan. This involves deciding on the changes that might be desirable,
evaluating the data that are available, considering whether new
observations are needed and deciding how to use the observations.
2 Do. Undertake the change that has been decided upon, preferably in
a small experimental way.
3 Check. Observe the effects of the change or the experiment. Study the
results, decide what has been learnt and what can be predicted.
4 Act. Put the change into effect.
What are the external market factors of an integrative approach?
- Product features:
- Primary - basic purpose
- Secondary - distinguishing features
- Tertiary - discovered after purchase
- Grade - tightness of specification and degree to which specification is met.
- Availability - time between decision to purchase and acquisition
- Price:
- Purchase price
- In-use price
- Disposal cost
- Response time - time to develop a new product
- Sales/General competence
All these features can be represented in a polar graph
Innovation and Technical Change (II)
- Invention begins with a new basic set of ideas
- Innovations are based on inventions but are designed for commercial exploitation
- Innovation is a social activity and for a company to be successful at it, it must be a learning organisation
- Two drivers for innovation
- Market push
- Market pull
- Legislation can be a powerful way of generating market pull
Revolutionary Innovation - new technology, new markets
Radical Innovation - new technology, existing markets
Market Niche - existing technology, new markets
Regular Innovation - existing technology, existing markets
Different industries have different combinations of technical and market complexity
Robust Design
Design is ‘robust’ if it has enough design flexibility to evolve to satisfy changing needs.
A robust design provides a platform for subsequent product derivatives. Conversely, a ‘lean’ design may satisfy current requirements but will be difficult to develop.
Design that simplifies the manufacturing process can reduce costs significantly.
Process Word (Assess)
Determine the value of, weight up - see also Evaluate
What are the three phases in the lifespan of an industry?
The Abernathy-Utterback model distinguishes the following three phases:
- Fluid phase - level of innovation high. Product continually modified to meet needs of users
- Transitional phase - design established. Emphasis shifts to process innovation
- Specific phase - incremental process innovation
Product innovation and process innovation are linked, with the former leading the latter.
Integrating frameworks notes
There is no single best way of managing. This theory has been replaced by the contingency theory of innovation management i.e. the best way to manage ‘all
depends’ on various factors.
• Science can be incremental in nature where it follows the theory-hypothesis-experiment route (normal science), or it can be radical where a paradigm shift occurs (revolutionary science).
• Different stakeholders are likely to have differing views regarding innovation in an organization.
• Investors require a greater return as a reward for taking on more risk. Therefore, a portfolio of projects must earn a risk-adjusted rate of return.
• We can construct a 3-dimensional matrix to assess 3 types of risk in relation to projects:
– Uncertainty over output
– Uncertainty over transformation process
– Uncertainty about administration and control
• Defensive companies will undertake projects that are at the low end of the above dimensions. Aggressive companies will target the high end.
• One way of reducing risk is to restrict innovation to one of the above dimensions at a time.
Process Word (Compare)
Look for and show the similarities and differences between examples, perhaps reach a conclusion about which is preferable and justify this.
Important factors in R&D activities
Rothwell and Zegveld identify three important factors:
- Technology explosion
- Shortening of the technology cycle
- Globalisation of technology
Tools and techniques for implementing programmes of incremental innovation
- Product mapping
- Quality Function deployment
- Experience curves
- Continuous Improvement - Kaizen
- Robust design
Features of radical innovation vs incremental innovation
*Attributes associated with radical innovation are not negatve
Process Word (Criticise)
Make a judgement backed by a reasoned discussion of the evidence involved, describe the merit of theories or opinions or the truth of assertions.
What is Technology Management?
A field that links engineering, science and management disciplines to plan, develop and implement technological capabilities to shape and accomplish the strategic and operational objectives of an organization.
Improving the effectiveness of an organisation by operating, improving and integrating existing systems and by introducing innovation (B1, p.33)
Ford TOPS(8D) approach to problem solving
Block 1
TDI DCI PC
Team Approach
Describe Problem
Implement Interium Actions
Define Root Cause
Choose Perm Actions
Implement Perm Actions
Prevent
Congratulate
Operations, Strategy and Mission
- The value of a misson statement is that it should be intended for both internal and external audiences. Also, a good mission statement includes the things that won’t be done, as well as those that will
- Looking top-down, the mission is pre-eminent; the strategy and operations serve the mission. Strategic management sets longer term goals while operational management is concerned with the here and now. There may be a middle ground occupied by tactical management.
Product Cycles
Block 2
2 curved hills on graph
First - Product
Second - Process
Process Word (Justify)
give reasons for a point of view, decisions or conclusions, and mention any main objections or arguments against.
Leader/offensive
- sort of a monopoly of the technology
- product is launched into the market before the competition
- significant R&D activity and substancial marketing resources
Process Word (Discuss)
explain, then give two sides of the issue and any implications.
What are the phases in the life of a project?
Deming approach to Quality
Deming has a 14 point programme:
- Management should concentrate on long term rather than short term
- Poor workmanship and products is unacceptable
- Quality must be built in, not inspected in
- Do not purchase from suppliers on price alone
- Continually improve the process
- Re-define training targets and measure successful training
- Institute modern supervision methods
- Drive out fear
- Break down barriers between departments
- Eliminate numerical goals for the work force
- Eliminate work standards and numerical quotas
- Remove barriers that hinder hourly workers
- Institute a programmer of education and training
- Create a top management structure to emphasize the above 13 points
Integrating Frameworks
Process Word (Illustrate)
make clear and explicit, and give carefully chosen examples.
What can be different for a product cycle in the service sector?
The product cycle might be reversed.
- Technology introduced to improve an existing service (improved efficiency)
- Improvements in service are observerd (improved quality)
- New services are developed i.e. innovation (new products)
Thamhain “From Engineer to Manager”
Block 1, 8
Global Aptitude Categories
PPT AB
Personal Desire
People Skills
Technical Knowledge
Admiistrative Skills
Business Acumen
Process Word (Analyse)
Resolve into its component parts, examine critically or minutely.
Process Word (Define)
Give the exact meaning of a word or phrase, perhaps examine different possible or often used definitions.
Progressing the Project Plan
How does Juran define quality?
fitness for use
What are the 5 key areas of Technology Management?
(B1, p.29)
- Identification and evaluation of technological options
- Management of R&D
- Integration of technology into a company’s product/processes
- Implementation of technology into a company’s product/processes
- Obsolescence and the replacement of technology
Experience Curves
Learning by doing. based on all factors i.e. labour, process, product and organization.
Experience curve is based on the evidence that unit costs fall as cumulative production volume increases
Significant first-mover advantages are gained by a strong experience curve effect.
What are the three categories for technological change?
- Operational - applicable to 1st line staff
- Improvement - applicable to middle management
- Innovation - applicable to senior management
Applicability is not exclusive. All 3 layers need to work smoothly together, each ontributing to and drawing from the others.
What are the dimensions of Open Innovation?
(The Open Innovation journey, Chiaroni et al)
Goodman and Griffith five critical processes
- Socialization
- Commitment
- Reward allocation
- Feedback/redesign
- Diffusion i.e. extending technology throughout organisation
Welsh development agency
Fast follower/defensive
- substancial technology base to develop improved versions of the original, in terms of lower cost, different design, additional features, etc
- agility in manufacturing, design and development and marketing: respond quickly to those companies that are first into the market
- If no in-house R&D, response would have been much slower: substantially more learning and understanding of technology
Technology as.. xxx
Block 1
Technology as Knowledge
Technology as Artefact
Technology as Process of Enquiry and Action
Success factors for innovation
– Good internal and external communications
– Treating innovation as a corporate wide task
– Good control of projects
– Efficient development and production
– Strong market orientation
– Provision of good technical service to customers
– Presence of key individuals
– High quality management
Project Management
A definition of a project – a group of connected activities with a defined starting point, a defined finish and a need for a central intelligence to direct it.
The ‘central intelligence’ referred to above is the project manager. He is seen as the chief executive of a temporary organization and has two key roles:
Objective setting
Motivation
Projects often take place against a backdrop of competition and, consequently, there is continual change regarding the standards that must be met.
The strategic purpose of a project is one of the most important factors to consider. Below this, there will need to be specific, quantifiable, lower level objectives to enable the project’s progress to be monitored.
Projects increasingly prevail since a steady state organization is the exception nowadays.
Typically, project management is based upon some kind of matrix approach.
The project manager’s role is similar to that of a product champion except the champion assumes the role himself whereas the PM is appointed to a position that already has management support.
What are the 5 dimensions to fitness for use?
- Quality of design - standard or grade of product
- Quality of conformance - match between product and design
- Quality of availability - reliability and maintainability
- Quality of safety - risk of injury
- Quality of Field Use - condition after reaching customer
What four measures of implementation sucess are driven by Goodman and Griffith five critical processes?
- Knowledge
- Behaviour utilisation
- Attitudes
- Normative consensus i.e. the value of the new technology
*
Open innovation principles
- Not all of the smart people work for us so we must find and tap into the knowledge and expertise of bright individuals outside our company.
- External R&D can create significant value; internal R&D is needed to claim some portion of that value.
- We don’t have to originate the research in order to profit from it.
- Building a better business model is better than getting to market first.
- If we make the best use of internal and external ideas, we will win.
- We should profit from others’ use of our IP, and we should buy others’ IP whenever it advances our own business model.
(Chesbrough)
Possible advantages for entering a strategic alliance
- Improved access to capital and new business
- Greater technical mass
- Shared risk and liability
- Better relationship with strategic partners
- Technological transfer benefits
- Reduced R&D costs
- Use of distribution skills
- Access to marketing strengths
- Standardisation
- By-product utilisation
- Management skills
Process Word (Give an account of / account for)
Explain the reasons for / clarify / give reasons for.
Crosby approach to quality
Zero is a management standard
Qualitity management maturity grid: uncertainty, awakening, enlightenment, widom and certainty
Once positioned in the maturity grid, Crosby’s 14 point programme offered opportunities for improvement:
- management commitment - written quality policy
- quality improvement team - department heads
- quality measurement -measurement needed to identify problems
- cost of quality evaluation - identify where profits can be made
- quality awareness - among employees
- corrective action - generated by steps 3&4
- zero defects planning - zero defects committee
- supervisor training - in their part of the programme
- zero defect day - signal to employees
- goal setting - to turn commitment into actione
- error cause removal - free reporting of problem areas
- recognition - public and non-financial
- quality councils - regular meetings
- do it all again
Learning from Projects
Following completion, a review of the project should be carried out. Firstly, the project documentation records can be examined. Secondly, the following aspects should be addressed:
- Project brief (was it well formed, did it change, was it realistic)
- Information (accurate, timely, were right sources used)
- Project team (were the people right, right mix of skills)
- Communication (what were the flows, what were the means)
- Suppliers/subcontractors (effectively managed and integrated)
- Project definition (complete, was it variable or stable)
- Senior management (informed, supportive)
- Users/customers (identified, consulted, involved)
- Consultants (were they used, and properly briefed)
- Cost/time schedules (were they used, and adhered to)
- Project leader (skill and effectiveness)
When a review is done, something must be done with it to ensure credibility.
Specification and presenting
Gregory technology management framework
this Gregory model:
- It represents a complete wheel or full cycle.
- Clockwise progression around it takes us ahead to what must be done.
- Anticlockwise progression around it would trace the history of a project.
- One can start anywhere.
- You can go back and forth locally, iterating on a small scale.
- Gregory labels the framework a vehicle (see quote above) not a pathway.
- It is, therefore, dynamic, and invites even its own replacement in due
time!
It can be used for:
- performance maintenance
- operational improvement
- innovation
Majaro
What is innovation?
External inputs (market, technological and socio-economic) and internal ones (product, process and administrative and control system) going into the innovation process, represent a potential source of an opportunity or a problem.
The latter can be thought of as the difference between an existing condition and a possible future or alternative condition.
Innovation can be seen as the gap between an existing condition and an alternative condition. innovation is the process of achieving this alternative condition.
Innovation can also be brought about by a change in perception. Perception aenables patterns to be seen in the existing condition and an alternative condition to be imagined.
Gap analysis is not sufficient in itself to maintain organizational performance. pro-active innovative activities must also be added.
Most companies aare ambivalent towards new ideias, despite management assertions to the contrary.
Leadership and Human Resources
What are the core organizational tasks?
(B1, p31)
- Operating existing systems successfully (junior)
- Improving existing systems (middle)
- Innovating (senior)
(Although ideas can come from any level, each management level in an organization is charged with one of the three core tasks of operation, improvement and innovation)
Expanded model of technology management
Innovation can often be highly disordered and can sometimes be performed best by organisations that:
- Have arrogant egotists in positions of power
- Suppy resources, turn a blind eye and support project teams
Spectrum of change
Rothwell’s interactive model of innovation
Creativity and invention, innovation and re-innovation
